Month: July 2019

In our scripture for this week (Luke 10:38-42), Jesus has been teaching us about clarity, priority and urgency. He is visiting the home of friends, and the usual human activity goes on. Martha scurries around worrying about dinner preparation while Mary sits at Jesus feet, listening to His teaching.

Both have made a choice about their activity, as we are called to do each day. Mary is clear about her choice to listen to Jesus. Martha, because she is worried and distracted, is not clear in her thinking. We must ensure we base our actions on God’s Word and not on human things.

There are many things that compete for our attention. We have to prioritize our actions, giving time to those that are most important. Jesus told Martha that our busy lives can interfere with putting time with God first as we should.

Jesus doesn’t say so specifically, but it should be clear that there is urgency in His lesson. He teaches that the kingdom of God is at hand and it is up to us to be ready and share the Good News with everyone. He calls us to leave our earthly worries and distractions to be part of the heavenly work.

Gracious God, we are humbled and blessed to be called to serve You and each other. Help us to be intentional, that we may choose the better part, hearing Your word and taking it out to all people. Amen.

In the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), Jesus teaches us the difference between doing what we think is important and doing what God tells us is important. Martha is worried about human things, concerned with serving Jesus as her guest. This was very important in that time and culture, and Jesus spoke often of serving others.

However, Jesus teaches us that there are things of higher value – hearing God’s Word and having a relationship with Him. Jesus wants us to know we are not valued for our doing, God loves us because He made us in His own image. Serving others is a response to this connection, a reaction of love, not initiated by us. “Doing” can never lead us to salvation on our own, only the Grace of God saves us.

The tasks we immerse ourselves in daily are not who we are. God knows us at the deepest level, saying “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5), indicating the special and eternal relationship we share. Celebrate that blessed connection every day, first with Him and then by sharing His love with others.

Loving Lord, we are humbled and grateful to be called Your children. Help us to be good members of Your family, reaching out to all our brothers and sisters. Let Your love shine through us and may Your mercy and peace spread across the earth. Amen.

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:38-42

The story of Martha and Mary is a short one but there is a big lesson to be learned from it. The main point comes when Martha asks Jesus to send Mary to help her, and Jesus gently says no, then explains His meaning. Do we understand as well?

Jesus doesn’t tell Martha what she is doing is wrong, but that what Mary is doing is more valuable. In essence, Jesus tells us “don’t worry if supper is late, sit and listen to the Good News first”. He warns about getting so wrapped up in our world that we miss the world to come.

Do we see ourselves in the two sisters? Are we distracted by many tasks? Take time to listen for the lessons of love you are given every day. Hear God’s voice and His message for you and then go do the other important things. Your tasks will be waiting but you will be strengthened to accomplish them and share God’s love.

Gracious God, we know that we have things to do today. Help us to choose the better part first, time with you and Your Word, that we may go into the world refreshed by Your love. Amen.

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42

Martha was concerned that her sister hadn’t helped her get things ready. Her request to Jesus wasn’t ignored, but He gently redirects her attention to what is going on in her home. While she has been busy with preparing the meal and setting the table, Mary has been attending to His teaching.

Jesus says that the human things we do “worry and distract” us, keeping us from hearing His message of love first. He tells Martha that what Mary is doing is very important and “it will not be taken away from her”, that our relationship with God is essential and eternal. Jesus says that in the midst of all we do on a daily basis, making time for God is the better part of any activity.

We all need time to intentionally connect with God every day. Sometimes it seems hard to do that, with all the other appointments and commitments for which we are responsible. Try writing “Prayer” on your day planner, phone app or refrigerator calendar and schedule yourself for time with God today and always. It will make a difference that will not be taken away from you.

Loving Lord, our lives get full of activities and obligations. Help us to see the importance of prayer and study to all we do, and to make time to be together with You every day. Amen.

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.”
Luke 10:40

We are always concerned about taking care of company when they visit. There’s lots to do – getting things ready, food prepared, enough chairs at the table. Martha is the sister who is handling these details and she is unhappy that Mary, just sitting and listening to Jesus, isn’t offering any help. Who wouldn’t feel frazzled, doing all the work while the other sits?

Martha asks Jesus for fairness, that her sister take some responsibility for what needs to be done. This isn’t an unreasonable request, we are called to help each other. However, Jesus has another lesson in mind, that of priorities, deciding what is most important now, and as we shall learn, that involves a different view of fairness.

Jesus calls us from our busyness, the hurried and pressured world we find ourselves part of, often by our own design. As we shall learn, Jesus wants us to ask “what is the most important thing I should be doing out of the many clamoring for my attention?” Jesus wants our attention so we can be fully aware of the lessons He has for us. We need to be careful that “fair” doesn’t overshadow “essential”.

Gracious God, show us what is important to You and help us focus our efforts to be part of that work. Keep us from becoming so busy we fail to see the essential needs in our world. Amen.

She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying.
Luke 10:39

Mary, Martha and Lazarus welcomed Jesus into their home. At that time, there was little other means of communication but word of mouth, so visitors who might bring news of the day and stories of far away places were seen as a gift. Maybe they would hear what was happening in Jerusalem or learn of the issues from Rome. While Jesus has things to share with them, it is different than they have heard before.

Jesus tells them of God’s love and the need to love each other in the same way. We don’t know exactly what He told them, but it is recorded that Mary sat and His feet and listened. This family became close friends of Jesus, and faithful followers.

Like Mary, we need to pay attention to the lessons Jesus gives us. We are often absorbed by the stories occurring in our world – strife and struggle, conflict and cares. Jesus tells us to pause and listen to the Word of God, to let His peace fill our thoughts and lives, that we may take that love to a world in need.

Gracious God, slow us down. Help us take time to listen and learn, and to share Your peace with everyone. May Your love spread over all the earth. Amen.

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.
Luke 10:38

In the scripture for this week, Luke 10:38-42, Jesus stops in a village and is welcomed into Martha’s home. Jesus became good friends with her, as well as her sister Mary and their brother Lazarus. While there were inns in some cities, most travelers depended on the kindness of people in the villages for a place to spend the night. This hospitality had long been part of their culture, stretching back to Abraham welcoming the desert travelers (Genesis 18:1-8).

We don’t often encounter travelers looking for a night’s shelter unannounced in our society. We have become so fast paced and closed off from each other that hospitality of this kind is unknown to most of us. Taking a stranger into your home involves risk, for both of you.

While Jesus may not ask us to have unknown people stay in our home (but He might!), we are called to be welcoming in our community. This too involves risk, perhaps not to our personal safety, but it certainly could involve our commitment and our resources to help provide for others. How is Jesus asking you to share hospitality today and how will you respond?

Loving Lord, we are often slow to welcome those new to us and cautious in our hospitality. Help us to open our hearts in faith, sharing the love You first gave us with those we meet. Amen.

Our scripture for this week, Luke 10:25-37, begins with a legal expert asking a question to test Jesus. As we often discover, it is Jesus who is testing and teaching us by leading us to answer our own questions. Jesus often taught this way, and as we see, it is very effective.

The legal expert knew the scripture but wanted a definite answer, a boundary after which we don’t need to obey. By asking “who is my neighbor?” he seeks to limit his responsibility. Peter was after the same thing when he asked how often to forgive in Matthew 18:21 – surely there is a point where we can stop. Jesus answer to both of them is consistent, and doesn’t let them out of their obligation. We must forgive more times then we can count and love everyone as our neighbor.

God’s commandments are like His love, applicable to all and eternal. We must be ready to love and forgive no matter what the situation. When we do this for our brothers and sisters, Christ says we also do it for Him (Matthew 25:40).

Gracious God, we are thankful for Your love and Your patience as we sometimes struggle to understand our place in creation and our responsibilities. Help us to see everyone as our neighbor and to love them as we love You. Amen.

The parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 teaches us several different things – who is your neighbor, love your neighbor and don’t make assumptions about other people. Jesus used an example His followers would recognize to help them better understand.

The ones who passed by were authority figures, people with access to resources that might have been useful. However, they didn’t stop, for whatever reason. Were they too busy? Were they frightened? We don’t know from the parable, and while Jesus doesn’t call them out directly, the accusations are definitely implied. Jesus teaches us there is no valid reason not to help.

We are also taught about not assuming things about “others”, those with whom we don’t associate, people who may live differently. Jesus tells us often the unexpected can occur because even though we are different, these are the neighbors God tells us to love.

We show our love for God by loving our neighbors. We can’t do or give anything directly to God, but we can care for His beloved children as He commanded. Our treatment of each other is important to God, and we must learn to care for each other to be like Jesus.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your mercy and care for us. Help us show the same mercy and care to our neighbors, and love You by loving the world. Amen.

The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:35-37

Why did Jesus pick the people He did as examples in His parable? A priest and a Levite from the Temple and a…Samaritan? We know what a priest is but the other two may make us Google their meaning. Perhaps if we put modern labels on them it would make more sense. How about the pastor and the chair of the worship committee, those are familiar. But a Samaritan?

Samaria was a region in between Galilee and Judea, populated by people who worshiped God, but in a different manner than the Jews. They were social and religious rivals, and Scripture says they did not associate with each other (John 4:9). For Jesus to use a Samaritan as the good guy would have been a shock to His followers. Think of any group that has a negative connotation in your mind (but be charitable!) and use that as your “Samaritan”.

Jesus is teaching us that God’s mercy is unlimited, given freely to all, and that we must show mercy in the same way. We must also recognize that the neighbors He gives us may be from a rival group, but we are all His children. Finally, He wants us to see that even members of these rival groups can know His love, and they too can show His mercy to others. Think carefully about that before speaking unkindly of someone from a rival group today.

Gracious God, we are called to love and care for our neighbors, without deciding who is a neighbor or if they deserve it. Everyone is our neighbor and we have a responsibility from You to care for them all. Amen.